When news broke of the Mayor’s two-year affair with Bevan Chuang, this newspaper suggested that if Len Brown’s family could forgive him then the city should, too.

Two months on, that sentiment is no longer sustainable. An issue far more important than the mayor’s private life is now at stake. Tomorrow, Auckland councillors will not only formally censure Mr Brown but begin a process designed to clip the wings of the mayoral office. If that happens, the Super City may no longer have a leader with the independent authority to drive things forward. The only means of avoiding that outcome is for Mr Brown to resign. He must go in the interests of Auckland and Aucklanders.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 18th, 2013 at 4:36 pm and is filed under NZ Politics.
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Denise Krum the Akl Councillor who is part of the group bringing the V.o.n.Confidence in lenny is the daughter of ex parliamentarian Hon Graeme Lee. She beat out an ex Lab. minister for her place, so I’d say this is a Socialist dragon slayer Amazonian.

There will be no vote tomorrow; at this point in time he has no choice but to go tonight.There’s 20 members of council, five have signed the motion, that’s pretty close to making his position untenable already, seven or eight signatures is fatal.

He’ll come to the conclusion that his legacy is best served by going, and the signature projects like the CRL can only be delivered by someone else. There still isn’t a viable right wing candidate for mayor. If Phil Goff chose to run he’d be unbeatable.

Len is a stubborn prick and a serial trougher. The public needs to make and example of him and let is be a lesson to all of the other self centered pigs sucking on the public tit, that we have had enough of paying for your lazy, greedy lifestyle.

If he breaks down in public I don’t give a shit. Look at what he has done to our City, our debt, and our future – sold it for his lifestyle

So if there is a vote of no confidence and the majority vote no confidence, what happens? Is there actually something in the local body legislation that means they can remove him? Or is it just symbolic?

“So if there is a vote of no confidence and the majority vote no confidence, what happens? Is there actually something in the local body legislation that means they can remove him? Or is it just symbolic?”

Varys smiled. ‘Here, then. Power resides where men believe it resides. No more no less.’
‘So power is a mummer’s trick?’
‘A shadow on the wall,’ Varys murmured, ‘yet shadows can kill. And ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow.’

Agree he needs to go but that protest of a dozen or so people (which ends with the quote: “Rodney Hide has a lot to answer for”) was incredibly painful to watch. A sad reflection on how pathetically small and irrelevant New Zealand is.

I said this the other day about Labour MPs, when you are in the highest paid job of your life its hard to be persuaded to move on. Times up, Len. You can stay and be a lame duck (plus a welcome destraction for the National Government on the asset sales referendum) or you can take what little dignity you have left with you.

What I find most amazing about this whole sordid tale is not the extramarital affair.

It is not even the underhanded undeclared corporate gifts, although that is shocking on its own.

No, what I find most amazing is that, in circumstances were Sky City are pushing a controversial convention centre on Auckland, which Len Brown has taken a positive position on, and Len Brown could thus be seen or perceived to be beholden to Skycity by receiving gifts from them, his supposed excuse for not declaring these gifts is because he says there was “”a lack of clarity around the policy in terms of gift registry and declaration”.

If the registry doesn’t exist for the public declaration gifts of $40,000 given by large corporates to the Mayor where there could be real or perceived issues of the Mayor being “beholden” to those corporates, then what the fuck does such a register exist for?!.

Of course he knew they had to be declared!!! It’s not some hassle-causing administrative red tape that is just “there” for some reason, it exists to prevent our politicians being bought by large corporates and special interests without the public’s knowledge!

Now he is trying to pass it off as being unclear?!?! How unclear can it be?! Any person working for a private firm knows you must declare gifts from clients. If you are standing for public office that requirement is 100x more important due to the risks of corruption, backhanded favours and the risk of unethical use of taxpayer funds.

And this is all without mentioning the secret trust he has laundered donations through….wouldn’t it be interesting to look into that sleazy little aspect and see who is funnelling money to him…

For Len Brown to claim it is “unclear” that the gifts he received should have been declared on the register shows that his moral compass is seriously fucked. He has to go ASAP and spare us Aucklanders the embarrassment of having a sick, sociopathic, corrupt womaniser running NZ’s largest city.

The Chair for the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance said in 2010 about the then proposed Super City Mayoral function:

“Auckland City can speak with one strong voice and have a clear identity”

We need “one Mayor who can be the Auckland face to the world and to the rest of New Zealand and who can engage with all sectors of the Auckland Community. This provides a good basis for potential with the private sector and with central government”

Mayors need to have Mana and statesman like qualities. Brown is unable to do this any more. He is seen as a clown.

If Mr Brown were not delusional, he would realise that more of his dirty linen is about to be exposed and would resign to spare his family the public shame of its disclosure. Meanwhile I struggle to pay my exorbitant rates and watch the City go broke.

“So, once again the NZ Herald editors show their right wing leanings. The front page of the hard copy today is pure partisan propaganda.”

Which is *exactly* what those on KB posted (in reverse, of course) when The Herald didn’t publish what they wanted to see and now do. Don’t see anyone here screaming blue murder about the left tendencies of The Herald anymore, do we? Funny that, isn’t it? People aren’t fundamentally different based on their political beliefs. They try to rationalise anything that doesn’t reflect their own views – if enough internal justification happens they start deconstructing the message or the medium as a plot against themselves.

I see that the number of genuine citizen protesters was carefully counted. Not quite how the main stream media usually do it When there are the professional protesters for most other issues. When there are just few of them the reporting uses tight shots and no mention of numbers.
The dilemma with a lefty mayor on the rocks and a story they can’t avoid.

…..” Don’t see anyone here screaming blue murder about the left tendencies of The Herald anymore, do we?”…..

One swallow does not a summer make & just because the NZ Herald finally get their act together in order to salvage a little credibility & a few advertisers doesn’t make the rag nor its editor any less despicable.

The Herald didn’t take the high road because of editorial integrity…..it was dragged there by Cameron Slater & a few other independent bloggers.

I hope he hangs on for a while yet. It keeps a troughing lefty in the public eye hanging on for dear life when its obvious he should have given it up. Having 2 minute Len on the front page steals oxygen from the likes of Winston and Wussell while Colin Craig seems to cut through when he wants to. Its all good.

It has been my view for weeks now, that Len Brown should better consider to resign. I gave him a lot of credit and allowances, and patience, so did many who used to support him. What really changed my mind was the revelation about the free hotel rooms and upgrades, and some were at Sky City! Now while Len is in some ways happy with the proposed Convention Centre and Sky City getting the nod by the government to build it on certain terms, I am unhappy that he accepted free rooms from that company or corporation. It smells too much of “back room deals” and “corruption”, I must say.

Either you support or oppose something, but you do not “go to bed with” the ones you may support!

No, it is time for Len to see the realities, to step down. He is now an embarrassment for himself, and also for any progressively thinking and minded Aucklander, and by that I include the ones supportive of better public transport and other visionary ideas that Len Brown followed. He is also becoming an embarrassment for the Labour Party, who just got a bit of rejuvenation and fresh wind support, partly due to their new leader.

Those on the left, or left of centre, who stubbornly want to ignore the missteps by Brown, who dig their heads into the grounds like ostriches, wake the bloody hell up, this man will cause major damage for any prospects of a change of government next year!

Len must GO, and he MUST GO NOW!

Get the situation cleared up, get it cleaned up, and also the councilors and public in Auckland, same the national government, you must realise now, the way Rodney Hide and his lot drew up the Auckland Council administration, it is flawed and rotten! We want accountability, not just for a mayor that thinks he is above the rules and law, we want it for CCOs and more! Bring back damned democracy into Auckland, that is what the people want, not some thought out system putting a mayor beyond accountability and a council to rule only to the interests of big business and ones that corruptly work with it.

Democracy must be reclaimed, and what went wrong here in Auckland, with some stupid Auckland Super City idea, that should be a damned lesson to all else in the country!

As much as Len should feel ashamed, so should Rodney Hide for bringing all this half thought out crap onto us!

Huh. We the rest of the folks of NZ taunt all you Jafa’s. We laugh at your super city. We fart in the faces of your stupid old Mayor and Council. We suspect all your mothers were conceived in the back of a taxi at Auckland International. We piss on your pretensions and we throw up in your faces when ever you win the jackpot at Sky City. We hope your wharfies go back on strike and your new trains get a short circuit. We have run out of other taunting for now but don’t provoke us any more as we have plenty of dead cow’s to toss at you!

As much as Len should feel ashamed, so should Rodney Hide for bringing all this half thought out crap onto us!

No I think the presidential concept is sound, it’s just the lefties elected someone with narcissistic personality disorder so the answer’s quite clear: no lefties next time or in fact, ever again. They had their chance and they blew it. It’s all their fault and they have only themselves and their galloping mentalism to blame.

The real issue and the one the media and most commentators have missed is the issue of good governance vs. bad governance. Auckland City governance model has been shown up to be fatally flawed in that a person in the most senior office can indulge in behavior that would see any employee of that organization dismissed without recourse( as has been the case in the recent past) and yet that person cannot be removed or forced from office.
That is bad governance. People who put themselves up for public office in a senior role must by the very nature of the role be above reproach and demonstrate at least the same standards of behavior of those who they employee indirectly via the Council Chief Executive.

Then there is the issue of judgment. It is a fact that when people show bad judgment in their private lives this must call into questions their judgment in the professional or public office they hold.
It is quite reasonable to question a persons suitability to hold office if there is clear evidence that they have a history of poor judgment and inappropriate behavior in their private life.

You cannot separate the two because one person is involved in both cases private/public or public /private.

And that is the Mayors crime. He has shown himself to lack the capacity and capability to hold his office by his behavior outside that public office.

And for that reason and that reason alone he is incapable of continuing in office.

There is also the small but significant matter of the new CEO due to join the Council shortly. If I was that person I would be telling the rest of the Council to either get rid of Lennie or I would be withdrawing my offer of employment and taking a case for constructive dismissal on the grounds that the current situation makes my employment untenable. I would be claiming for the full amount of my contract plus any legal costs I incurred.
If the new CEO was smart enough to get the job that’s what they would be doing otherwise they are going to spend the next 3 years as piggy in the middle between Lennie and the Councillors that are against him. Not a good place to be CEO I would have thought.

Auckland City governance model has been shown up to be fatally flawed in that a person in the most senior office can indulge in behavior that would see any employee of that organization dismissed without recourse( as has been the case in the recent past) and yet that person cannot be removed or forced from office.

How would you remove the Mayor of say Wellington or Christchurch in similar situation?

John Key’s attitude is disgusting. If the councillors do their job and vote no confidence in the lying fraudster he may resign. Their needs to be a law change allowing a recall. No one should be unaccountable be it a major or a porn queen judge like the one in Canada.

They’re right that Brown should go, but their reasoning is nonsense – it’s just an assertion the Herald prefers authority to accountability which is a weird position to argue when calling for accountability.

A senior Government minister says Mayor Len Brown has to question whether he has the moral authority to stay on as mayor.

Judith Collins, who has known Mr Brown for 30 years, made the comment this morning ahead of a council meeting at which the mayor will face motions of censure and no confidence.

She told RadioLive the mayor had to question whether he should stay on.

“My advice to Len is this – Len, do you have the moral authority to do what is an extremely important job?”

Ms Collins said she had been hearing consistently negative comments around Auckland about someone who people used to think very highly of.

“And I just think it’s really going to be very tough if he wishes to stay.

“But if he does, obviously we will work with anyone when it comes to the mayor of Auckland, and we have to as a Government. But Len’s really got to think about it.”

Ms Collins did not want to tell Mr Brown what to do.

“Because ultimately, he’s the one who knows what else might come out, and really I think he can see when his biggest supporter, the New Zealand Herald, has a go at him, as they did yesterday – they didn’t just have a go at him, they completely decided that they were not going to support him any more – I think he really has to think about that.

“They’ve been his biggest supporter for the last four years, and really, when they’ve gone like that, that tells me something. There’s more coming.”

Mr Brown had to consider the matter himself and think about getting advice from people who were not being paid to do so, Ms Collins said.

“People whose jobs depend on him being in that role, they may not be the right people to be telling him, talking to him at this stage. And he needs to consider, does he really want to keep doing this?”

eszett If we had a good governance model for our local bodies then if 5% of ratepayers petitioned a binding referendum would be held. Now to get around a low turnout I suggest a super majority of either 66% or 75% would be required to carry the day. This process would apply to any Mayor or Councillor.
5% of ratepayers are a significant number of people in any local body so if that many people feel strongly enough then it would be more than just a vexatious or frivolous issue to get the numbers for the referendum.

This process means Mayors and Councillors are on notice for the whole of their 3 year term not just in the couple of months before the elections.

Think about it. If Auckland ratepayers had known about the Mayors behavior before polling opened I very much doubt he would have been elected.

The same model could be applied to the Parliament and would work equally as well to keep the bastards on their toes.

I have always said he should resign, but not because he was chased by a mob or a newspaper decided to use its front page to editorialize against him instead of reporting the news. Those sort of tactics should not be allowed to succeed.

If Auckland ratepayers had known about the Mayors behavior before polling opened I very much doubt he would have been elected.

One argument is that the field was week and Brown was the best one standing. There was some surprise Palino got the votes he did considering he was a far from stellar contender.

But if Brown’s behaviour had been known well in advance then better alternatives might have decided to stand. It’s possible some didn’t want to contest an election they thought Brown would easily win.

I agree. I believe Cameron Brewer will run for mayor one day, but has been biding his time until Len decides to call it a day, which may turn out to be sooner than expected. If Len does resign now, it will be interesting to see who runs. If Michael Barnett runs, then I guess Cameron will continue to wait it out. It would be an interesting race between Phil Goff and Michael Barnett if Goff were to run too.

Editor Simon Wilson at Council:
“Brown will survive no confidence attack but his position now intolerable.”
“Crs clearly want him to do the decent thing. My opionion: he will resign. Full blog post shortly.”

I’m starting to gain a bit of admiration for Len. He’s been servicing his wife, at least one mistress & according to Whale he’s been visiting Mustangs while having a quick wank in his office during quiet moments.

Even at two minutes a time it starts to add up…..when the Jafas finally decide to give him the boot he’ll be a shoo in as the new poster boy for Viagra.

I urge all good Kiwibloggers to do as I have done and write to Chris Tremain Minister of local Government asking him to instruct the Auditor General to conduct a full investigation into the use of Council resources by the current Mayor in particular staff to carry out work that is of a private nature and not related to Council business. Of interest is the number of hours staff in the Mayors Office spent on communications and other related matters that concern the Mayors conduct and behavior in his private capacity as oppose to his official role. Chris Tremains email is below. Also suggest you copy in all Opposition leaders especially Luigi as Im sure he will be looking for an opportunity to put the knife into Lennie